Thursday, 1 February 2018

The last Stakes for January 2018

It seems that there isn't an actual, official map of the Stakes route showing the kilometre markers, although it is known where they are. With a little help from Google Earth I have now created an image which shows them pretty well.

When I arrived at the start area I found that some trolleys had been left at the Lyons side of the tunnel under Melrose Drive.

The relevant ACT Government person - I'm looking at you, Shane Rattenbury - might wish to contemplate that one side effect of compelling Colesworths to put locks on their trolleys is that rather than stopping the trolleys being strewn about it is leading to them appearing in mating groups. This allows the bogans who strew them to get their dollar back!

Here is a view from kilometre 1.

A feral trolley close to km 1. That is about the turn point on Gary Bowen's warm up. If its still there next week perhaps he could bring it back?

One of the many Mr Fluffy rebuilds. There are so many of his victims on the route I wonder if he was an early competitor.

The view from km 2.

.. and km 3!

The organisers had warned about Tuesday's rain leading to slippery mud. If there had been any, this is where it would have been. Like unto the Sahel in mid Summer.

This is close to km 4.

Looking at Google Earth more closely the shadow of this pole is quite clear. It was about 100m past where I had marked the km. However, as can be seen by the position of the red line relative to the track my measuring isn't totally accurate!

Another Mr Fluffy, not quite so advanced in gestation.

As I approached the road crossing a pair of competitors passed me and their comments suggested they weren't 1 million % sure of the course. So I was watching them to see they did go the right way and forgot to take a snap at km 5. This is the oval at about 5.3kms.

Things were too crowded to take a snap approaching the finish at km 6!